...and exhausting our patience 

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Like this bulletin? Tell friends. Don’t like it? Tell me — E.

IN THIS E-BULLETIN
* Serial entrepreneur Luke Johnson stars in this year’s Ayn Rand Lecture.
* Reports: Any hope for Net Zero?; Turning NIMBYs to YIMBYs; Microschools v the state
* We’re recruiting: Might you be our next communications supremo?


** BUT FIRST...
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In recent news, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been off self-isolating. And Labour has moved ahead in the polls. (I’m not saying these two events are connected, but…)

Commons sleaze is a big story again, with almost as many MPs accused of abusing the rules as there are now in jail, serving suspended sentences, wearing tags or doing community service. On top of their £81,932 Westminster salary (plus expenses, second homes, etc.) several MPs have second jobs and some have even got third, booster jobs. (They are the ones who are keenest to wear face masks when they go out in public.) Ex-PM Sir John Major complained about the scandals, saying that we should, er, get back to basics. Current PM Boris Johnson replied that Westminster was ‘not remotely corrupt’ (which suggests that it must instead be utterly incapable — or if the behaviour of the MPs who flew to Gibraltar last week is anything to go by, incapably drunk.)

The Budget came and went without much excitement (particularly since it had all been ‘leaked’ in advance). Taxes are at their highest since the 1950s, spending since the 1970s, and debt since the phasing out of the groat. Nothing unusual there, then.

The COP26 climate summit was even costlier for taxpayers, and produced a historic failure to agree (though it also gave us great entertainment to count the delegates' private planes). And the Government has demanded that firms show how they plan to reach the Government’s net zero ambition (that’s assuming that any are still in business by 2050). Here’s my plan: get the Government to impose a carbon tax, then put your feet up and let the market do the work for you.

But I digress…


** THE AYN RAND LECTURE
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It’s on again, and you need to be there! Less than a week to secure your place ([link removed]) !

In this important event, entrepreneur and author Luke Johnson — a living embodiment of Ayn Rand’s enterprising heroes — will explain why entrepreneurship is the last hope for reviving our flagging economy and growing employment, business and prosperity. As usual we are at the swank Drapers’ Hall in the City of London. Luke is a former chairman of Channel 4, Pizza Express, and restaurants including The Ivy, Le Caprice, Belgo, and Strada. He is a key investor in Whittard, Giraffe, Brompton Bicycles and many other companies.

Join us at Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue on Tuesday 23 November. Doors open and reception starts 6pm, talk starts 6.45pm, stirrup cup at 8pm. To book your free ticket, click here ([link removed]) .
RSVP ([link removed])


** WE'RE RECRUITING
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There is still time to be considered for the post of our new Head of Communications. It’s a core role, with oversight of the Institute’s entire media engagement strategy. So we’re looking for someone with experience in areas such as political communications, print or electronic media, politics or professional PR. We’re looking for people who have a proven record in shaping the debate and working with journalists and policymakers. And most of all, we are looking for someone who will be a good fit with the most talented punch-above-your-weight policy team in Westminster. More info here ([link removed]) .
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** NEW REPORTS
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Blind man’s buff? The UK Net Zero strategy

The UK’s Carbon Net Zero target is a noble aim, but there is no coherent strategy for reaching it, say policy and energy experts Tim Ambler, Peter Edwards and Michael Kelly. On current plans, the UK hasn’t enough nuclear capacity to meet future base load estimates. Net Zero cost estimates diverge widely. And some of the vaunted new energy technologies will prove infeasible or expensive. The Government needs to bring together an advisory group of engineers, businesspeople and others to work out the true costs and feasibility and plan out how (and if) Net Zero can be delivered. Read the paper here ([link removed]) .
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Draining our pockets: How the global tax cartel could cost Britons billions
Britain is one of 136 countries that have formed the tax-raising cartel promoted by President Joe Biden, with minimum taxes on large companies. Corporate taxes are some of the most damaging there are, says policy analyst Julian Morris, significantly reducing investment and entrepreneurship. And of course they are borne, not by companies, but by real people, including workers and customers. The new minimum can’t be squared with UK policies like freeports and the super-deduction, undermines national sovereignty and tax flexibility, and prompts companies to move merely to minimise their taxes. And because of all that, the UK Treasury stands to lose as much as £7bn a year. Read the paper here ([link removed]) .
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School’s out! How microschools boost educational choice and quality

Government Covid rules kept kids out of school for nearly a year — a huge learning loss for them. In response, parents and teachers formed microschools, each for 3-12 students. They were so successful — boosting standards, meeting parents’ wishes, and helping the poorest most — that people want more of them. But here’s the snag, says author and former ASI gap-year intern Sophie Sandor: microschools are severely hampered by the UK’s heavy-handed school regulations. After a bit of ‘free schools’ liberalisation in 2010, Ofsted and the Education Department have taken back control. It’s time to allow parents and entrepreneurs to create new, diverse schooling options. Read the paper here ([link removed]) .
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Build me up, level up

Dr Michael Turner, director at C|T and Matthew Lesh of ASI analyse a groundbreaking poll on public attitudes to housing reform. It turns out (Tory NIMBYs take note) that building more homes is a big vote winner. Four-fifths of Brits either own their own home, or would like to, but most aspiring homeowners are unsure they will be able to afford it. Two-thirds of those sampled say they would support house building if local residents had power to ensure it benefited the community. And three-quarters of them say they would be happy with building on damaged land, even in ‘green’ belts. Yes, we can turn NIMBYs into YIMBYs. Read the paper here ([link removed]) .


** EVENTS
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In-person events are like buses...

John Penrose MP will be joining us on 30th November from 6-8pm to launch his new paper Poverty Trapped.

The paper highlights the importance of addressing the mounting cost of housing. Planning reform would remove a huge barrier to opportunity by reducing living costs and making it easier to move for a better job.

Penrose focuses on street votes ([link removed]) for greater density and design, upwards house building in cities, and delivering greater benefits from housebuilding to local communities through a levy on land given permission, all of which will enable increased housebuilding and act as a catalyst for greater prosperity.

Join us at the ASI for a lecture and drinks to launch the Poverty Trapped paper.
RSVP (mailto:[email protected]?subject=John%20Penrose%20MP%20at%20the%20ASI&body=Dear%20ASI%2C%20%0A%0AI'd%20like%20to%20RSVP%20for%20John%20Penrose's%20lecture%20at%20the%20ASI%20on%2030th%20Nov%20from%206-8pm.%20%0A%0ABest%20wishes%2C%20)

Next week I am giving an online talk to the Indonesian Students for Liberty group, on the theme of ‘Adam Smith’s Mind’. I will be explaining who Smith was, what he thought, why he’s remembered, and his relevance in our predicament today.

Our President Madsen Pirie spoke to the Oxford University Karl Popper society, explaining his new thesis about the principles that united Popper’s political theory (in Open Society and its Enemies) and his philosophy of science. He sees clear similarity in Popper’s scientific approach — getting rid of bad theories — and his view of democracy — that it is not about choosing leaders, more about getting rid of bad or incompetent ones.

The market in stolen art. London academic Dr Anja Shortland, who before lockdown told us about the economics of kidnapping (Rather poignant — Ed.), led our first seminar of the free(r) times, on the subject of lost art. Turns out the police aren’t much interested in finding stolen artworks, being under pressure to focus on crimes of violence. But the market has found a way, building up a database of lost artworks that auction houses all check — preventing those that don’t have a clear title (including things that went missing centuries ago) from being sold. Unless, that is, the different interested parties can come to an agreement. You can read about it in her book, Lost Art.

The Next Generation Group, our under-30s movers and shakers, met again earlier this month, for the first time in a long time. Guest speaker was former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, who told us how, as a student, he had applied to ASI for work experience — but we didn’t take him! (Wouldn’t have experienced much actual work around here anyway — Ed.)


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If you agree that this mission is more important now than ever (it seems more dire with each new month, new tax, new regulation), please do consider supporting our work with a donation.

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In their media debut, one of our gap year interns, Charles Bromley-Davenport, explained in 1828 ([link removed]) how to solve the housing crisis by the simple expedient of building more houses — and why politicians shouldn’t be worried about this. Meanwhile, his counterpart Fiona Townsley appeared in CapX ([link removed]) to write about the prospects for microschools and Matthew Lesh backed her up, writing on the same topic in ConHome ([link removed]) .

COP26 is finally over. In case you missed it amongst the hundreds of other articles on the topic... Matthew Lesh wrote in the Telegraph ([link removed]) about the hypocrisy of ‘green’ politicians, spoke on TalkRadio ([link removed]) about the annual ‘absurd, apocalyptic rhetoric’ at the conference and ASI report author Connor Tomlinson spoke to GB News ([link removed]) about the goings on at COP26

There’s another COP, if you didn’t know. Our Fellow Mark Oates told Daily Express ([link removed]) and Telegraph ([link removed].) readers how the World Health Organisation (you know, the ones who cuddled up to China at the start of the pandemic) continues to promote the lie that vaping is as bad as smoking, despite all the evidence to the contrary. And just to make sure that there is no complaining, COP9 — where governments make decisions on tobacco policy — banned observers from the media and the public, and even charities. Only governments, who rake in vast sums from tobacco taxes (and
in the case of China, actually owns the country’s entire tobacco industry), could attend. Very convenient, not so? His arguments also featured on Guido Fawkes ([link removed]) .

On the topic of health, ASI’s Dr Madsen Pirie explained in City AM ([link removed]) why we need to turn the National Health Service into something that looks more like Australia’s popular, effective healthcare system; Director of Operations Morgan Schondelmeier spoke in the MailOnline ([link removed]) about the possibility of the next chair of the BMA GPs Committee being a doctor who has previously advocated for fewer in person GP treatments; Matthew Lesh wrote in the Sunday Telegraph ([link removed]) about how antivirals are the ‘final blow to Covid-19’; Daniel Pryor quoted in the MailOnline ([link removed]) how the vast number of GPs trained outside the UK reflects the
consistent failing of governments to train doctors; Matthew Lesh criticises the lack of face-to-face GP appointments in the MailOnline ([link removed]) and slammed doctors advocating strike action, also in the MailOnline ([link removed]) , and was quoted in the MailOnline ([link removed]) (Jeez, someone has a favourite –– Ed.) describing the NHS a ‘blackhole of taxpayer money’.

The Budget happened recently, if anyone remembers (If you don’t, that’s okay, we’ll tell you what to take from it –– Ed.). Times Radio described the ASI as ‘the real opposition to the budget’ (along with our friends at the CPS, Policy Exchange and the IEA). John Macdonald spoke on BBC News ([link removed]) about Rishi ‘spending like a drunken sailor’; Matthew Lesh criticised the stifling effect of the budget in the Telegraph ([link removed]) ; Morgan Schondelmeier spoke on GB News ([link removed]) about the budget, and what it shows about Rishi’s philosophy and discussed hikes to the minimum wage on BBC Radio; and Daniel Pryor’s comment praising the Universal Credit reform and changes to alcohol duties - yet slamming ‘spendy Sunak’ was covered in Guido Fawkes ([link removed]
ct/) and Conservative Home ([link removed]) . Plus, I was quoted in the i Newspaper ([link removed]) saying that interest rates must ‘one hundred percent’ rise (Not necessarily by 100% –– Ed.) and Matthew Lesh spoke on GB News ([link removed]) about why a global minimum tax is not in the UK’s best interest and criticised the proposed increase of public sector workers in the Telegraph ([link removed]) . You can also find ASI author Julian Morris discussing his recent paper for CityAM ([link removed]) , reminding us all that a global minimum corporation tax rate is bonkers –– and dangerous.

In our perpetual battle for free speech, Daniel Pryor spoke on TalkRadio ([link removed]) about the danger of the Online Safety Bill while Matthew Lesh wrote for The Critic ([link removed]) about the threat posed to free speech by the Online Safety Bill and was quoted in The Australian ([link removed]) about the ultimate futility of this proposed bill. He also wrote in the Telegraph ([link removed]) that hurt feelings are no need to cancel free speech online (Can’t get him to stop exercising his right to free speech –– Ed.)

In miscellaneous news, our Director of Strategy John Macdonald was on Live With Littlewood ([link removed]) to discuss the Parliamentary sleaze debate, Covid-19 and dodgy stats and more. He also took part in a debate on GB News ([link removed]) about whether MPs should receive money from a second job and Guido Fawkes ([link removed]) posted a video reviewing our ‘Spirit of the Invisible Hand’ whisky.


** ONLINE
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Podcast

Our weekly ‘Pin Factory’ podcast, hosted by the ASI’s Matt Lesh and Daniel Pryor (alongside special guests), continues to churn out weekly episodes looking at the news of the day through a free market, liberal lens.

Recent editions have taken an in-depth look at MP sleaze, magic mushroom medicine ([link removed]) , COP26, tech mergers, drones ([link removed]) and Budget 2021 ([link removed]) .

You can subscribe to get the latest episodes directly on many podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts ([link removed]) , Spotify ([link removed]) , Stitcher ([link removed]) , Podbay ([link removed]) , and more!

And if you like our podcast… check out our friends across the pond!

Michel Kelly-Gagnon, the President and CEO of the Montreal Economic Institute has launched a podcast for all the liberty (and wine) lovers out there.

Liberty & Wine is a monthly podcast, released on the first Monday of each month where Michel and his guests take you on an epicurean intellectual journey, exploring liberty, current issues and social sciences... all while enjoying a sip of wine!

Website:[link removed]
Facebook:[link removed]
Twitter: @LibertyWine_pod ([link removed])

On our superblog

Oh what a tangled web ([link removed]) . The Patterson affair was trivial, says ASI Fellow Tim Ambler: and it was a matter of Parliament, not the government. Ministers should focus on getting the big issues right, rather than tying itself up in knots over small ones. Like, why did they disregard the modern generation IV advanced nuclear reactors which other countries are now running with. Or streamlining and culling the most interfering quangos, as we told them how to do last October. Then there is the NHS: is it an executive agency, a public corporation like the BBC or just an enormous quango—and who actually then controls it? The government needs to stop meddling in parliamentary matters and get a grip.

Some assertions are just ludicrous ([link removed]) , says Tim Worstall. Like the idea that the world’s biggest problem is the ‘excessive wealth’ of a few. But Jeff Bezos and his multi-billionaire friends have actually pushed down inflation by delivering better products to us cheaper and faster. Even without compounding, Worstall reckons the gain is roughly a 4% reduction in the price level—the price level across the whole economy. In the US alone, that equates to prices being $800 billion a year lower than they would if Mr Bezos had retired after his first million and put his feet up. I think we can spare him that measly $190 billion, don’t you?

Why the Green New Deal won’t work ([link removed]) . Even the Guardian’s senior economics correspondent, Aditya Chakrabortty, realises that a vast state bureaucracy is no way to deliver big changes like the Green New Deal, writes Tim Worstall. And bureaucratic projects are more expensive because civil servants don’t come up with such diverse ideas as millions of individuals do, and are less interested in doing things for less cost. And as the Stern Review noted, if we do climate change policy in such a more expensive way, we’ll be able to do less of it. Nudge the market, and more will happen, cheaper. Or is the Green New Deal just an excuse to impose all sorts of other centralising plans on us?


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** AND I QUOTE...
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With all this talk of Westminster sleaze, I am reminded of the words of William Lloyd George (who ought to know):

Politicians are like monkeys. The higher they climb up the tree, the more revolting are the parts they expose.


Bye… (Bye from me too — Ed.)

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